In my book Nourish I talk about how mindful eating changed my entire approach to food. Instead of feeling like "I can't" have something I desire, I have learned to focus on how food makes me feel, which has changed my desires. Sure, I still "wan't" chocolate, but now I desire to eat a chocolate dessert that is a healthier alternative that will nourish my body, and my tastebuds! If you desire to change your mindset and approach to food, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of my book! In Nourish I share how my personal approach to mindful eating has helped not only me, but thousands of women enjoy food while fueling our bodies! Here are some tips from my book on how to start mindful eating today:

Listen to your Body. Start to pay attention to your level of hunger before, during, and after you eat. Try taking a few bites of a meal, put down your fork, take a few sips of water, and pay attention to how you feel. When you feel like your stomach is satisfied, wait a few minutes and decide if you are finished. The goal here is to learn to listen to your body, which is also known as mindful eating. Eventually it will become a more natural process once you have learned to tune into your body’s natural signals.

Ditch the diets and start eating whole foods that consist of a balance of lean proteins, healthy fats, and healthy carbohydrates to ensure that your body is fueled properly. This will help you feel more satisfied mentally, physically, and emotionally overall.

Be present at meal times. Make an effort to sit down and truly enjoy your meals. Take the time to be relaxed and enjoy each bite. If you find yourself in a stressful situation, or you are running around and busy, consider waiting to eat or having a small snack until you can sit down and be at peace while you eat your meal. Make it your goal to be present during your meals, enjoying the way the food tastes, noticing the smells and textures, and paying attention to how it makes your body feels both during and after you eat. You may be surprised how much this will change your level of enjoyment and satisfaction when it comes to food.

Put an end to emotional eating. So often we run to food to comfort us when we are emotional, bored, tired, stressed, etc. One way to overcome emotional eating is to take a moment and pause when you are headed to the kitchen. If you sense that you are eating to meet an emotional need, take a moment and ask yourself: Am I eating for comfort or am I actually hungry? Taking a moment to pause gives you time to assess how you feel and deal with your emotions in a healthy way.

For more tips and practical ways to start living a healthy lifestyle today, head over to: NourishBook.com

Written by Katie Farrell

Katie's greatest passions are the Lord, family, and ministry. It is Katie’s greatest desire to teach women about their identity in Christ and to inspire them to find a balance between spiritual and physical health, all while enjoying the journey!